What is our responsibility as educators, parents, students, and citizens to assure that all children, young people, as well as all of the people with whom we intersect, be responsible digital citizens? As adults, we would not send young children out into the world to explore on their own. We guide them, create safe spaces for them to explore, accompany them when necessary and help them make good choices. The same must be true for navigating our digital world. As children grow, we teach them right from wrong, how to be respectful to others, and about stranger danger. We must do the same for the digital world as well. Children today are accessing technology even as toddlers, and we need to help them learn to be responsible digital citizens. We need to teach them how to be respectful of others' creative work, we need to show them that there are dangers to beware of and how to avoid them, we need to ensure that they are respectful of others' feelings and privacy, and we need to teach them to protect themselves and their own privacy. We would teach our children and students these concepts in the "real world," and now we must include the digital world as well.
Module 5:
How can you be sure the information you and your students find represents factual information? I think students need to be taught how to research on the internet. They need to understand websites such as wikipedia, and not to take everything they read at face value. I think teaching students to research the website and find the publisher is a good idea. They should also find out if the information being published has their sources listed. I think the tree octopus website is a great way to teach this concept to students - just because it looks credible doesn't mean it is. Common Sense Media also has a lesson on this topic.
How can you find sites that will hold your students’ attention long enough for them to gather the information they need? All websites used with students must be previewed. It is important to look trought the sites carefully and be on the lookout for personal pages and/or biased opinions. Teaching students to refine their searches and search for key terms will help them access information. Teaching them to highlight key ideas and bookmark resources will allow them to use the websites for a short time and revisit them as need.
How can you better integrate higher order thinking skills into your curriculum that will help students be better users of the Internet? Our district has Google Apps for education, which allows students to use several tools on the internet under the safety of our district domain. Teaching students how to properly search for things on the internet and analyze the information they access will really help them remember and apply their learning. Once they learn how things work on the internet, they can create their own sources. For example, our 5th grade students have taken what they learned about websites and are creating their own Google Sites as part of their science curriculum. Students at many grade levels at our school use wikis and blogs to create and share information.
As you view these videos consider how you will approach these two topics with your students. How do you teach these two concepts now? As a first grade teacher, I currently do not teach my students about these two topics. I have only recently, in the last year -year and a half, begun to have my students do research on the web. I think we just weren't thinking of this as an issue for young students. None of the videos are appropriate for my first grade students. The CRAP test is a great way for people to remember, but definitely not appropriate for elementary students.
I may use the last video in a staff meeting to help teachers understand what they should be teaching students.
What have you learned or found in this module that will help you as you teach these concepts to your students? Which of the above resources have been the most helpful for you? At what age should be begin to teach these concepts to students? As I have mentioned in several assignments, my district is implementing Common Sense Media curriculum next school year. We will begin teaching these concepts in Kindergarten. There are lessons that are appropriate for young students, such as Sites I Like. I think it important to start teaching these topics right away, as students are using the internet well before they start elementary school.
Module 4:
As you explore these resources consider how you will teach your students about cyberbullying and what they can do to prevent it. How will you reach out to students who have been victims of cyberbulling? How will you help parents to understand the implications and indications of cyberbullying for their children (both as cyberbulliers and as victims).
From Polly Klaas Foundation Poll:
Half of teens 13-18 have communicated online with someone they have never met.
One third have talked about meeting in person someone they only know online.
One in 10 have learned that someone communicating with them online was an adult pretending to be much younger.
Girls reported more risky behavior than boys
frequently talk about sex
have lingo to alert of parents in room
It is alarming how willing and unafraid teens are to talk online with someone they have never met and that they are willing to consider face to face meetings
FBI: Parent's Guide to Internet Safety: Your child spends large amounts of time on-line, especially at night. You find pornography on your child's computer. Your child receives phone calls from men you don't know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don't recognize. Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know. Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room. Your child becomes withdrawn from the family. Your child is using an on-line account belonging to someone else.
This is a good resource for parents and has a ton of information on what to look for, what to do if any of these things are happening in your family and more importantly - how to PREVENT this from happening.
What Are the Risks (safekids.com) - article was not there, although website overall is a great resource for parents
What Are the Risks Online - good resource with information broken down by age levels
The information on prevention of cyberbullying is invaluable. While it is important to know what to do when this happens, we should be focusing on prevention first
Love the story of Starbuck the Dog - great way to reach young children and help them understand
I think for myself I would begin by teaching students (I teach first grade) about bullying in general - which is already part of our curriculum and addressed through Project Cornerstone - and then talk to them about being bullied on the computer. It is unlikely they are on the computer unsupervised at home due to their age, so this is a great way to prevent these things from happening in the future. Additionally, I would send parents links to the websites mentioned above and talk to them about prevention. However, I know that many of my students have siblings in the upper grades and at the middle school, so I would want to make sure I sent the parents the resources on the signs of students being unsafe online and what to do if they think their students have been engaging in inappropriate behavior.
Videos:
Module 3:
Think about how you teach digital citizenship in your classroom. How do you integrate this with your academic content? How does your school or district promote good digital citizenship? How might you, your school, and/or your district better integrate digital citizenship into the curriculum? How might you help the parents of your students teach their children to be good digital citizens?
Thus far, I really do not teach digital citizenship in my classroom. This has not been a requirement nor a focus of our school district and quite frankly it never really occurred to me as a first grade teacher. Generally I am in control of how my students are using the internet and they do not go on websites that I have not previewed or do any internet searches - I usually have what I want them to see already linked to our First Grade page in the computer lab. There has not really been a lot of guidance in our school or districy as to how to teach digital citizenship, but that is all about to change. Next year we will be implementing the Common Sense Media curriculum at all grade levels. I am part of the Tech Team that will be trained and then go back and train our staff on how to use the curriculum with our students. In fact, three of us in this class will be introducing the curriculum to the staff next month.
I really enjoyed the article by Berson and Berson and thought that it would be a good one to share with the staff as well as parents. The second article by Ribble, Bailey and Roos was also very informative and would be good for the staff and for parents to see as well (although most of the scenarios were geared toward older students). I will definitely keep the websites bookmarked to incorporate when I am training the staff and to have information readily available for parents who wish to have more information.
Are you a Good Cybercitizen is a good site but a little too advanced for my students to do on their own. I can see visiting this site as a class, asking parents to visit it with their children, or even having an upper grade buddy class do it together with a primary class.
I really liked the idea of incorporating digital citizenship into the area of social studies, as suggested by Berson and Berson. In first grade social studies there is a lot of focus on being a good citizen, following the rules, treating others with respect, following the golden rule and stranger danger. I think including digital citizenship in this area is perfect. We also tend to cover these topics at the very beginning of the year, and I think it is important to get students thinking this way right from the start. First graders are very conscious of right and wrong, and tend to not see in shades of gray. If I introduce proper internet use at the beginning of the year, then when their parents jump on Wikipedia to research their sharing topics students will now how to act responsibly. I think hitting this right from the start will also ensure their safety.
What types of cyberbullying have you seen at your school? Has your staff discussed cyberbulling and how to deal with it? If so, how cyberbullying being addressed? Does your school or district’s tech plan or AUP/RUP contain information on cyberbullying and how it is to be handled? What can you do to prevent cyberbullying? I have not seen cyberbullying at my school, but that does not mean it is not happening. In first grade I have not heard of this come up as a problem, nor have I really heard about it in the other primary grades. It may be happening or has happened in the upper grades. I am sure it is likely happening at our middle schools. As a staff I do not remember ever talking about cyberbullying and how to handle it. It is possible that this is something discussed among the upper grade teachers, but my grade level has not been present. Every year we do have an internet safety night for our parents, but it is not widely attended (less than 30 parents from a school of ~750 students.) I am not sure why it is not well attended, but I know that other schools in the district have the same problem. My guess is that parents in our district have not dealt with these issues much and they are unaware of the importance of knowing about and teaching about cyberbullying.
Our AUP says this regarding bullying: Bullying involving the use of technology (cyberbullying) will not be tolerated from either school or home and may result in suspension and/or a recommendation for expulsion. Also, when appropriate, local law enforcement may be involved.
I feel that our district will be addressing cyberbullying more now that we are going to be using Common Sense Media curriculum. I think that I can talk with my principal about having a staff discussion regarding cyberbullying and even share some of the articles and websites for this module. I would like to talk to the upper grade teachers and find out if this has been an issue in our school.
A sample of our fifth grade students takes a survey through Project Cornerstone each year. I am curious to look back and see if cyberbullying is a part of this survey (I think it is) and what the student responses were.
I think we can do more to market the internet safety night and be sure our parents are aware of it's importance.
Consider how you might use these and the above information to teach your students about digital citizenship.
I would not be able to use any of the videos with my first grade students. They either have advanced text, too much text,the information goes too quickly, etc. I do not feel that these are appropriate for young students. They may be good for our older students, so I would share them with our staff to see if they might like to use them.
There are some very appropriate videos for first graders as part of the Common Sense Media curriculum. I will definitely make use of those with my students.
Module 2:
1. How does this information on copyright correspond with what you already know and use in your classroom? Over the past couple of years I have been exposed to copyright and what I should and should not be doing/using. I am aware that I am not supposed to use images that I have grabbed from the internet to use in my presentations or worksheets. I am also aware that I am not supposed to reproduce materials unless I have been given permission. Now that I am more aware I try to follow the rules as best as I can.
2. How are you teaching your students about copyright? As a first grade teacher I have not really found the need to teach students about copyright, as they do not generally do projects that may require them to include pictures, music, or text from other sources. When using books to answer questions or respond to text, I do teach them not to copy text directly. I am interested in finding ways to teach young students about copyright.
3. How do you model correct use of copyrighted materials in your classroom and in your daily life? After becoming more aware of copyright, I wanted to reproduce some poems for my students to use. I found contact information for the two authors and sent them emails requesting permission to use the poems in the classroom and to reproduce the poems so students could have copies. both authors emailed me and were pleased that I had asked permission. They both granted it and wanted to know more about the lessons and how the poems were being used. I did share this story with my students and it was a very positive experience.
I have also learned about Creative Commons and I try and find what I need using this site. Some teachers in the MERIT program have also taught me that when I can't find what I need with violating the copyright I can create it myself and avoid the issue altogether.
4. Do you observe violations of copyright law in your school or among your associates? If so, what violations have your noticed (perhaps now as a result of reading the above materials), and how might you help people to better understand copyright? I have noticed violations of copyright at my school site, and am sure that I still violate copyright from time to time. I do not feel that people are doing this on purpose but more because they are unaware of copyright and what it entails. Examples would be reproducing materials that have not been given permission, watching movies school wide on rainy days that are not meant to be viewed in that manner, making copies of music for students to listen to and practice at home, using Google images and clip art on notices and worksheets that are not credited. Again, I do not think people are doing this on purpose - our district has not really ever talked to us about this. We now have a District Tech Team and we are learning about this. I am assuming that we will be doing some staff development on this in the next year.
5. Why do you think some people violate copyright law? I think some people violate copyright law simply because they are unaware of the law and the violations they are making. I did not know for a long time that I couldn't just look something up on the internet and use it for what I needed - mostly with regards to clip art. Once I started learning about it I was more careful.
I also think that there are cases when people are aware of copyright law and violate it because it is easier to use what they need and turn the other cheek.
6. Why do we have copyright laws? We have copyright laws to protect people so that their creations are honored and that if they want to make money on it they will be able to. It also ensures that the creator has complete control over how the material is used and for what purpose.
What have your learned about fair use that will help you in your classroom? I have learned that I am able to use some things in an educational setting, but there are restrictions. I should think about the purpose of the work, the nature of the work, the amount of the work that I want to use and the effect on the work. So, in my example above about the poems, I probably didn't need to get permission from the authors. I am glad I did however, because now I can use the poems every year without issue as I have written permission.
What do you find most confusing about copyright and fair use? What surprised you as you reviewed the above materials? Honestly I think it is all fairly confusing and the reason why so many teachers violate copyright and fair use. I feel that I would likely need to review the guidelines every time I wanted to use something until I was positive I was very clear on the rules. I was surprised to read about the guidelines for music, tv and radio recordings. I had no idea that you could only retain the recordings for 45 days. As I think I understand it, this means you cannot retain the recording to use year after year. I am also surprised that you are not supposed to use the same written works for more than one semester. I think teachers are for sure violating this rule as they likely don't know about it.
I like the classroom copyright chart. I will definitely print it and refer to it.
How might you use the videos to help your students learn about copyright and fair use? I would not be able to use either of these videos with my students as they are not appropriate for first graders. I understand the reasoning behind using the Disney cartoons spliced together, but I found it difficult to follow. The second video is slightly dry, but I thought it was more clear. Although I would not use these videos with my students, I would perhaps use them as part of a staff development presentation on copyright and fair use.
Check to see when your district’s plan was last updated. - August 2011 is the date on the policy, but I am not sure when the last update was. It has been the same for at least the last two year.
Check to see if your districts AUP/RUP includes child safety and cyberbullying provisions. Yes - Technology Safety: Precautions will be taken to ensure that technology in the classroom is being used in an appropriate manner. Students will be instructed in the appropriate use and will be supervised while using technology for instructional purposes.
Bullying involving the use of technology (cyberbullying) will not be tolerated from either school or home and may result in suspension and/or a recommendation for expulsion. Also, when appropriate, local law enforcement may be involved.
Terms and Conditions: Students shall not -
Cyberbullying by posting or publishing images and video captured at the school site and school related activities on social networking sites, blogs, and other websites, that negatively impact the learning environment and/or harass students or staff member.
Does it address copyright, plagiarism, and validity of resources? Partially - Under Terms and Condiitons it states that Students shall - Comply with copyright laws and intellectual property of others It does not address the validity of sources at all.
Is the AUP/RUP proactive or reactive (positive or punitive)? I would say it is more punitive. When compared to the National Educational Technology Standards for students, it is clear that the focus is on how students will behave, what they are forbidden to do, and what the disciplinary actions will be for non compliance.
Does your district require parental signature for students to be able to utilize the Internet, or does it only require a signiture if parents do not wish their child to use the Internet? A signature is required by both the parent and the student.
How well is the RUP/AUP understood by teachers, students, and parents? The form is sent home with the understanding that it will be read by both the parents and the students. The responsibility of explaining the form is left to the parents. I would say that the majority of classroom teachers (if not all) do not discuss the policy in class, nor does our tech media clerk. I have never been present when the policy has been discussed by staff members at all.
Who is involved in revising the AUP/RUP (and the technology plan)? Are teachers, students, and parents included on the committee? This is done at the district leadership level. I am not certain who is involved but I am doubtful that teachers were involved. Our communications director plays a major role in the implementation of this policy.
Analyze your districts’ AUP/RUP. Compare it to the examples provided in this module. What changes would you make if you were involved in revising it? How might you assure that it is read and understood by all constituents (parents, teachers, Compared to the examples in this module, I would say that our policy focuses more on the negative than on what our district will will do to ensure that students are aware of how to use the internet safely and responsibly. I would put it in language that is easier for students to understand - especially the younger students. I think having a video for the younger students is also a good idea. I would also be sure that the staff reads and discusses the policy and make it a requirement for teachers to go over the policy at the beginning of the year.
Videos: ~has to be buy in on the policy and practices ~should be in clear, concise languauge ~everyone should understand what the policy means ~videos are very helpful ways to explain it
Module 6:
What is our responsibility as educators, parents, students, and citizens to assure that all children, young people, as well as all of the people with whom we intersect, be responsible digital citizens?As adults, we would not send young children out into the world to explore on their own. We guide them, create safe spaces for them to explore, accompany them when necessary and help them make good choices. The same must be true for navigating our digital world. As children grow, we teach them right from wrong, how to be respectful to others, and about stranger danger. We must do the same for the digital world as well. Children today are accessing technology even as toddlers, and we need to help them learn to be responsible digital citizens. We need to teach them how to be respectful of others' creative work, we need to show them that there are dangers to beware of and how to avoid them, we need to ensure that they are respectful of others' feelings and privacy, and we need to teach them to protect themselves and their own privacy. We would teach our children and students these concepts in the "real world," and now we must include the digital world as well.
Module 5:
How can you be sure the information you and your students find represents factual information?I think students need to be taught how to research on the internet. They need to understand websites such as wikipedia, and not to take everything they read at face value. I think teaching students to research the website and find the publisher is a good idea. They should also find out if the information being published has their sources listed. I think the tree octopus website is a great way to teach this concept to students - just because it looks credible doesn't mean it is. Common Sense Media also has a lesson on this topic.
How can you find sites that will hold your students’ attention long enough for them to gather the information they need?
All websites used with students must be previewed. It is important to look trought the sites carefully and be on the lookout for personal pages and/or biased opinions. Teaching students to refine their searches and search for key terms will help them access information. Teaching them to highlight key ideas and bookmark resources will allow them to use the websites for a short time and revisit them as need.
How can you better integrate higher order thinking skills into your curriculum that will help students be better users of the Internet?
Our district has Google Apps for education, which allows students to use several tools on the internet under the safety of our district domain. Teaching students how to properly search for things on the internet and analyze the information they access will really help them remember and apply their learning. Once they learn how things work on the internet, they can create their own sources. For example, our 5th grade students have taken what they learned about websites and are creating their own Google Sites as part of their science curriculum. Students at many grade levels at our school use wikis and blogs to create and share information.
As you view these videos consider how you will approach these two topics with your students. How do you teach these two concepts now?
As a first grade teacher, I currently do not teach my students about these two topics. I have only recently, in the last year -year and a half, begun to have my students do research on the web. I think we just weren't thinking of this as an issue for young students. None of the videos are appropriate for my first grade students. The CRAP test is a great way for people to remember, but definitely not appropriate for elementary students.
I may use the last video in a staff meeting to help teachers understand what they should be teaching students.
What have you learned or found in this module that will help you as you teach these concepts to your students? Which of the above resources have been the most helpful for you? At what age should be begin to teach these concepts to students?
As I have mentioned in several assignments, my district is implementing Common Sense Media curriculum next school year. We will begin teaching these concepts in Kindergarten. There are lessons that are appropriate for young students, such as Sites I Like. I think it important to start teaching these topics right away, as students are using the internet well before they start elementary school.
Module 4:
As you explore these resources consider how you will teach your students about cyberbullying and what they can do to prevent it. How will you reach out to students who have been victims of cyberbulling? How will you help parents to understand the implications and indications of cyberbullying for their children (both as cyberbulliers and as victims).From Polly Klaas Foundation Poll:
- Half of teens 13-18 have communicated online with someone they have never met.
- One third have talked about meeting in person someone they only know online.
- One in 10 have learned that someone communicating with them online was an adult pretending to be much younger.
- Girls reported more risky behavior than boys
- frequently talk about sex
- have lingo to alert of parents in room
It is alarming how willing and unafraid teens are to talk online with someone they have never met and that they are willing to consider face to face meetingsFBI: Parent's Guide to Internet Safety:
Your child spends large amounts of time on-line, especially at night.
You find pornography on your child's computer.
Your child receives phone calls from men you don't know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don't recognize.
Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know.
Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room.
Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
Your child is using an on-line account belonging to someone else.
This is a good resource for parents and has a ton of information on what to look for, what to do if any of these things are happening in your family and more importantly - how to PREVENT this from happening.
What Are the Risks (safekids.com) - article was not there, although website overall is a great resource for parents
What Are the Risks Online - good resource with information broken down by age levels
The information on prevention of cyberbullying is invaluable. While it is important to know what to do when this happens, we should be focusing on prevention first
Love the story of Starbuck the Dog - great way to reach young children and help them understand
I think for myself I would begin by teaching students (I teach first grade) about bullying in general - which is already part of our curriculum and addressed through Project Cornerstone - and then talk to them about being bullied on the computer. It is unlikely they are on the computer unsupervised at home due to their age, so this is a great way to prevent these things from happening in the future. Additionally, I would send parents links to the websites mentioned above and talk to them about prevention. However, I know that many of my students have siblings in the upper grades and at the middle school, so I would want to make sure I sent the parents the resources on the signs of students being unsafe online and what to do if they think their students have been engaging in inappropriate behavior.
Videos:
Module 3:
Think about how you teach digital citizenship in your classroom. How do you integrate this with your academic content? How does your school or district promote good digital citizenship? How might you, your school, and/or your district better integrate digital citizenship into the curriculum? How might you help the parents of your students teach their children to be good digital citizens?Thus far, I really do not teach digital citizenship in my classroom. This has not been a requirement nor a focus of our school district and quite frankly it never really occurred to me as a first grade teacher. Generally I am in control of how my students are using the internet and they do not go on websites that I have not previewed or do any internet searches - I usually have what I want them to see already linked to our First Grade page in the computer lab. There has not really been a lot of guidance in our school or districy as to how to teach digital citizenship, but that is all about to change. Next year we will be implementing the Common Sense Media curriculum at all grade levels. I am part of the Tech Team that will be trained and then go back and train our staff on how to use the curriculum with our students. In fact, three of us in this class will be introducing the curriculum to the staff next month.
I really enjoyed the article by Berson and Berson and thought that it would be a good one to share with the staff as well as parents. The second article by Ribble, Bailey and Roos was also very informative and would be good for the staff and for parents to see as well (although most of the scenarios were geared toward older students). I will definitely keep the websites bookmarked to incorporate when I am training the staff and to have information readily available for parents who wish to have more information.
Are you a Good Cybercitizen is a good site but a little too advanced for my students to do on their own. I can see visiting this site as a class, asking parents to visit it with their children, or even having an upper grade buddy class do it together with a primary class.
I really liked the idea of incorporating digital citizenship into the area of social studies, as suggested by Berson and Berson. In first grade social studies there is a lot of focus on being a good citizen, following the rules, treating others with respect, following the golden rule and stranger danger. I think including digital citizenship in this area is perfect. We also tend to cover these topics at the very beginning of the year, and I think it is important to get students thinking this way right from the start. First graders are very conscious of right and wrong, and tend to not see in shades of gray. If I introduce proper internet use at the beginning of the year, then when their parents jump on Wikipedia to research their sharing topics students will now how to act responsibly. I think hitting this right from the start will also ensure their safety.
What types of cyberbullying have you seen at your school? Has your staff discussed cyberbulling and how to deal with it? If so, how cyberbullying being addressed? Does your school or district’s tech plan or AUP/RUP contain information on cyberbullying and how it is to be handled? What can you do to prevent cyberbullying?
I have not seen cyberbullying at my school, but that does not mean it is not happening. In first grade I have not heard of this come up as a problem, nor have I really heard about it in the other primary grades. It may be happening or has happened in the upper grades. I am sure it is likely happening at our middle schools. As a staff I do not remember ever talking about cyberbullying and how to handle it. It is possible that this is something discussed among the upper grade teachers, but my grade level has not been present. Every year we do have an internet safety night for our parents, but it is not widely attended (less than 30 parents from a school of ~750 students.) I am not sure why it is not well attended, but I know that other schools in the district have the same problem. My guess is that parents in our district have not dealt with these issues much and they are unaware of the importance of knowing about and teaching about cyberbullying.
Our AUP says this regarding bullying:
Bullying involving the use of technology (cyberbullying) will not be tolerated from either school or home and may result in suspension and/or a recommendation for expulsion. Also, when appropriate, local law enforcement may be involved.
I feel that our district will be addressing cyberbullying more now that we are going to be using Common Sense Media curriculum. I think that I can talk with my principal about having a staff discussion regarding cyberbullying and even share some of the articles and websites for this module. I would like to talk to the upper grade teachers and find out if this has been an issue in our school.
A sample of our fifth grade students takes a survey through Project Cornerstone each year. I am curious to look back and see if cyberbullying is a part of this survey (I think it is) and what the student responses were.
I think we can do more to market the internet safety night and be sure our parents are aware of it's importance.
Consider how you might use these and the above information to teach your students about digital citizenship.
I would not be able to use any of the videos with my first grade students. They either have advanced text, too much text,the information goes too quickly, etc. I do not feel that these are appropriate for young students. They may be good for our older students, so I would share them with our staff to see if they might like to use them.
There are some very appropriate videos for first graders as part of the Common Sense Media curriculum. I will definitely make use of those with my students.
Module 2:
1. How does this information on copyright correspond with what you already know and use in your classroom?Over the past couple of years I have been exposed to copyright and what I should and should not be doing/using. I am aware that I am not supposed to use images that I have grabbed from the internet to use in my presentations or worksheets. I am also aware that I am not supposed to reproduce materials unless I have been given permission. Now that I am more aware I try to follow the rules as best as I can.
2. How are you teaching your students about copyright?
As a first grade teacher I have not really found the need to teach students about copyright, as they do not generally do projects that may require them to include pictures, music, or text from other sources. When using books to answer questions or respond to text, I do teach them not to copy text directly. I am interested in finding ways to teach young students about copyright.
3. How do you model correct use of copyrighted materials in your classroom and in your daily life?
After becoming more aware of copyright, I wanted to reproduce some poems for my students to use. I found contact information for the two authors and sent them emails requesting permission to use the poems in the classroom and to reproduce the poems so students could have copies. both authors emailed me and were pleased that I had asked permission. They both granted it and wanted to know more about the lessons and how the poems were being used. I did share this story with my students and it was a very positive experience.
I have also learned about Creative Commons and I try and find what I need using this site. Some teachers in the MERIT program have also taught me that when I can't find what I need with violating the copyright I can create it myself and avoid the issue altogether.
4. Do you observe violations of copyright law in your school or among your associates? If so, what violations have your noticed (perhaps now as a result of reading the above materials), and how might you help people to better understand copyright?
I have noticed violations of copyright at my school site, and am sure that I still violate copyright from time to time. I do not feel that people are doing this on purpose but more because they are unaware of copyright and what it entails. Examples would be reproducing materials that have not been given permission, watching movies school wide on rainy days that are not meant to be viewed in that manner, making copies of music for students to listen to and practice at home, using Google images and clip art on notices and worksheets that are not credited. Again, I do not think people are doing this on purpose - our district has not really ever talked to us about this. We now have a District Tech Team and we are learning about this. I am assuming that we will be doing some staff development on this in the next year.
5. Why do you think some people violate copyright law?
I think some people violate copyright law simply because they are unaware of the law and the violations they are making. I did not know for a long time that I couldn't just look something up on the internet and use it for what I needed - mostly with regards to clip art. Once I started learning about it I was more careful.
I also think that there are cases when people are aware of copyright law and violate it because it is easier to use what they need and turn the other cheek.
6. Why do we have copyright laws?
We have copyright laws to protect people so that their creations are honored and that if they want to make money on it they will be able to. It also ensures that the creator has complete control over how the material is used and for what purpose.
What have your learned about fair use that will help you in your classroom?
I have learned that I am able to use some things in an educational setting, but there are restrictions. I should think about the purpose of the work, the nature of the work, the amount of the work that I want to use and the effect on the work. So, in my example above about the poems, I probably didn't need to get permission from the authors. I am glad I did however, because now I can use the poems every year without issue as I have written permission.
What do you find most confusing about copyright and fair use? What surprised you as you reviewed the above materials?
Honestly I think it is all fairly confusing and the reason why so many teachers violate copyright and fair use. I feel that I would likely need to review the guidelines every time I wanted to use something until I was positive I was very clear on the rules. I was surprised to read about the guidelines for music, tv and radio recordings. I had no idea that you could only retain the recordings for 45 days. As I think I understand it, this means you cannot retain the recording to use year after year. I am also surprised that you are not supposed to use the same written works for more than one semester. I think teachers are for sure violating this rule as they likely don't know about it.
I like the classroom copyright chart. I will definitely print it and refer to it.
How might you use the videos to help your students learn about copyright and fair use?
I would not be able to use either of these videos with my students as they are not appropriate for first graders. I understand the reasoning behind using the Disney cartoons spliced together, but I found it difficult to follow. The second video is slightly dry, but I thought it was more clear. Although I would not use these videos with my students, I would perhaps use them as part of a staff development presentation on copyright and fair use.
Check to see when your district’s plan was last updated. -
August 2011 is the date on the policy, but I am not sure when the last update was. It has been the same for at least the last two year.
Check to see if your districts AUP/RUP includes child safety and cyberbullying provisions.
Yes -
Technology Safety:
Precautions will be taken to ensure that technology in the classroom is being used in an appropriate manner. Students will be instructed in the appropriate use and will be supervised while using technology for instructional purposes.
Bullying involving the use of technology (cyberbullying) will not be tolerated from either school or home and may result in suspension and/or a recommendation for expulsion. Also, when appropriate, local law enforcement may be involved.
Terms and Conditions:
Students shall not -
Cyberbullying by posting or publishing images and video captured at the school site and school related activities on social networking sites, blogs, and other websites, that negatively impact the learning environment and/or harass students or staff member.
Does it address copyright, plagiarism, and validity of resources?
Partially -
Under Terms and Condiitons it states that
Students shall -
Comply with copyright laws and intellectual property of others
It does not address the validity of sources at all.
Is the AUP/RUP proactive or reactive (positive or punitive)?
I would say it is more punitive. When compared to the National Educational Technology Standards for students, it is clear that the focus is on how students will behave, what they are forbidden to do, and what the disciplinary actions will be for non compliance.
Does your district require parental signature for students to be able to utilize the Internet, or does it only require a signiture if parents do not wish their child to use the Internet?
A signature is required by both the parent and the student.
How well is the RUP/AUP understood by teachers, students, and parents?
The form is sent home with the understanding that it will be read by both the parents and the students. The responsibility of explaining the form is left to the parents. I would say that the majority of classroom teachers (if not all) do not discuss the policy in class, nor does our tech media clerk. I have never been present when the policy has been discussed by staff members at all.
Who is involved in revising the AUP/RUP (and the technology plan)? Are teachers, students, and parents included on the committee?
This is done at the district leadership level. I am not certain who is involved but I am doubtful that teachers were involved. Our communications director plays a major role in the implementation of this policy.
Analyze your districts’ AUP/RUP.
Compare it to the examples provided in this module.
What changes would you make if you were involved in revising it?
How might you assure that it is read and understood by all constituents (parents, teachers,
Compared to the examples in this module, I would say that our policy focuses more on the negative than on what our district will will do to ensure that students are aware of how to use the internet safely and responsibly. I would put it in language that is easier for students to understand - especially the younger students. I think having a video for the younger students is also a good idea. I would also be sure that the staff reads and discusses the policy and make it a requirement for teachers to go over the policy at the beginning of the year.
Videos:
~has to be buy in on the policy and practices
~should be in clear, concise languauge
~everyone should understand what the policy means
~videos are very helpful ways to explain it